Term 1 Week 4 College Newsletter

Acknowledgement of Country

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers

This year will mark the end or our College Strategic Plan that has been in place from 2022 through to 2025.  These documents are traditionally developed in consultation with staff, students and parents as we determine the vision for the future of this College and put in place the steps that we will need to take to get there. 

As part of our efforts to ensure that we are focussing on the areas that provide the best opportunities for desired outcomes, we have engaged the Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER) to come to the College in week 6 and complete a full school review which aligns to the National School Improvement Tool (NSIT).  This means that during this time there will be many lesson observations, conversations, analysis of data and policies & procedures.  From this process the college will be provided with an objective report that will allow me to ensure that our focus for the next four years is targeted in the areas that it needs to be, to ensure the future success of Ignatius Park College moving into the future.

One stakeholder group that the review team is keen to speak with is parents/carers.  There is an opportunity for 8-10 parents to contribute to the process and if you would like to be involved in this process, please email me at principal@ipc.qld.edu.au so that we can pass your details onto the review panel.

This Friday marks our first carnival for the year with our House swimming carnival taking place.  This is a compulsory day for all students, and one that is filled with house spirit, competitive rivalry and some outstanding swimming.  This is always a great opportunity for everyone to be involved and enjoy the house spirit that our college is so well known for. 

Thank you to those parents/carers who were able to make it to the College last Thursday for our senior induction liturgy.  It was a great afternoon as we took the opportunity to celebrate our 2025 college leaders, while at the same time formally welcoming our newest Year 7 students to the College.

Putting our recent weather event to the side, it has been a calm start to the year, with lots of great learning taking place in the classrooms that I have visited over the past two weeks.  We have lots of boys participating in excursions, sports trials, alternate learning opportunities and leadership tasks as we settle into the routine of the year.  This time is a great opportunity to ensure that your son is developing those positive routines and habits at home as well, and I would remind you that even if they have no set homework (which is rare) there are always assignments and revision that they can be working on.

Luke Thomson  |  Principal

Curriculum Corner

Key dates for Term 1 (dates subject to change) 

 Academic Firsts Breakfast 

As a new initiative, Ignatius Park College is proud to recognise the outstanding academic achievements of our Year 12 students.  On Friday, we will celebrate their hard work and dedication, with our inaugural Academic First’s Breakfast to acknowledge their success and share the occasion with fellow high-achieving students and staff. 

2025 NAPLAN 

The NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy)  
testing program will take place this term between 12 - 24 March for students in Years 7 and 9.  
  
All of the tests will take place online. Students will need to make sure they bring their fully charged laptops, pencil case and headphones each day of testing. It is advisable that students also bring their power cords for these days to ensure laptops do not go flat during the tests. A practice session has also been scheduled to confirm the capability of our network and give students an opportunity to understand the test format.  

The testing schedule for Ignatius Park College is below:   

Further information can be found at https://www.nap.edu.au or https://www.acara.edu.au/assessment/naplan.  

Should you have any concerns regarding NAPLAN or your son’s participation please email Mr Tim Lindeberg, Dean of Middle School via tim.lindeberg@ipc.qld.edu.au.  

 Lesley Gardner  |  Director of Curriculum

Identity and Mission

Rising Always - A Joyous Beginning to Our Year

Dear IPC Community,

Our College year began in a truly uplifting way with our Beginning of Year Liturgy last Thursday afternoon, a liturgical celebration that set the tone for the year ahead. With the Year 12 theme "Rising Always," we reflected on the challenges and triumphs that shape our journey and called on our students to embrace perseverance, faith, and the courage to lead with integrity.

A highlight of the Liturgy was the formal induction of our Year 12 students into their senior year. This special moment, marked by prayer, blessing and the distribution of badges and blazers reminded them of their responsibility as role models and leaders within our College. It was inspiring to witness their commitment to upholding our values and guiding their younger peers with wisdom and compassion.

Equally moving was our warm welcome to the Year 7 students, who were embraced into our community through a powerful and traditional Welcome to Country led by the Wulgurukaba Walkabouts. This sacred acknowledgment of culture and belonging set the foundation for their journey ahead, fostering a deep sense of connection and respect for the land and its people.

Looking forward into the upcoming liturgical season of Easter, we turn our focus towards Lent and our commitment to justice through Project Compassion. With Ash Wednesday approaching, our fundraising efforts will commence on March 5th, encouraging students and families to support those in need through acts of generosity and solidarity. Mr. Mills will be sharing more information in the coming weeks about how we can all get involved.

May this year be one of growth, faith, and a steadfast commitment to "Rising Always."

Mark Holmes | Director of Identity & Mission

Beginning of Year Liturgy

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Director of Students

Pathways Hub

VET – Skills and Training Newsletter 18 Feb

Week 5: Industry Placement Information

Year 11 and 12 VET boys will be required to gather in Week 5, Period 5 (in Big Ben) to discuss details for their upcoming Industry Placement. In this session students will be provided details of who their respective employers are and what they are required to do leading up to, and during Industry Placement. 

• It is the student’s responsibility to contact their employer prior to placement.
• Be aware of start and finish times and meeting locations.
• Understand mobile phone requirements

Week 6: White Card – Construction Safety Course

The first round of White Card courses is scheduled for week 6, Wednesday 5^th March. The costings and details for this course are in the final stages. Parents and families will be notified in the next few days of when they can accept this invitation in the parent lounge and make payment. Thank you for your assistance with this. The boys who are on this list will receive an email from Blue Dog Training requesting documentation and sign up.

Week 7: Year 11 and 12 Industry Placement week

Industry Placement is in week 7 starting Monday the 10^th of March and finishes on Friday the 14^th of March. This program has been extremely successful in fostering working relationships with industry and employers and often leads to apprenticeships and post school job opportunities.

It is a requirement that Ignatius Park College Vocational Education Students attend Industry Placement. If your son is unwell and unable to attend, they must call the employer and notify them of their absence; and then send a text message to the Skills and Training mobile phone 0438 185 403. Be clear in your text message include your full name and reason for your absence.

Flexible Pathways: School-Based Apprenticeships

I am pleased to announce that a few boys in year 11 and 12 have been successful in gaining school-based apprenticeships. These boys have completed their official sign ups last week and are now attending their place of work whilst completing Senior School. Congratulations boys!

Kristy Clarke   |   Program Leader Skills and Training

Congratulations Hugh Drovandi (Plumbing), Koby Burnett (Plumbing) and Adam Konidis (Electrical)

Student Wellbeing

Safer Internet Day

Tuesday 11^th of February marked National Safer Internet Day.

In today’s digital age, the internet plays a significant role in our education and social lives. As we continue to embrace technology in and out of the classroom, it is crucial that we, as a school community, ensure that the boys understand the importance of using the internet responsibly and safely.

Why Internet Safety Matters

While the internet offers incredible resources for learning and connection, it also presents potential risks. Cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and online predators are just a few dangers that the boys may encounter. The anonymity of the online world can lead to actions that they might not consider in face-to-face situations, and it’s essential that they understand how to protect themselves.

Key Tips for Parents to Promote Online Safety:

1. Set Clear Boundaries: Establish guidelines for when, where, and how your son can use the internet.
2. Monitor Online Activity: Regularly check the apps, websites, and social media platforms your son uses. Many social platforms provide tools to monitor and control activity, helping to ensure he stays safe while online.
3. Encourage Open Communication: Let your son know that he can come to you with any concerns he might have regarding his online experiences. Whether it’s uncomfortable interactions with peers or encounters with inappropriate content, your support will make a difference.
4. Teach About Privacy: Remind your son to never share personal information, such as his home address, phone number, or school details, with people he doesn't know. Privacy settings should be activated on social media accounts, and personal data should always be kept secure.

The Role of Ignatius Park College

At Ignatius Park College, we are committed to supporting our students in navigating the digital world safely. Our teachers incorporate digital citizenship lessons into the curriculum, ensuring that our boys are equipped with the knowledge and skills to make wise choices online. We also work with external agencies to provide resources and workshops for both students and parents.

We encourage you to be proactive in discussing internet safety with your son.

Please use the link below to navigate to the Colleges School TV platform which contains valuable resources on internet safety.

https://ipc.qld.schooltv.me/channel-newsletter/315

School TV

School TV is a wonderful resource for parents to receive credible and current information from wellbeing experts. 

See the flyer below and link on our website, for more information: https://ipc.qld.schooltv.me/ 

Christian Quabba   |   Dean of Student Wellbeing

IPC Open Day

Join us for our Open Day!

Families looking to enrol their sons at Ignatius Park College in 2026 or 2027 are invited to our OPEN DAY! See all the details below:

Instrumental Music Program - Register Now!

Ignatius Park College offers an exciting Instrumental Music program with experienced and dedicated musicians. The program runs throughout the school term, offering students a unique chance to immerse themselves in the world of music through private lessons with skilled and experienced tutors. Students select from a variety of instruments and disciplines, including:

• Drums
• Piano
• Guitar
• Bass
• Clarinet
• Trumpet
• Saxophone
• Singing
• Songwriting
• Music theory. 

 Lessons are $40 for 30 minutes or $55 for 45 minutes.  Places are limited and filling fast.   If you would like register your son, please go to:  Music | Ignatius Park College

Alternatively, please contact Ms Katrina Guazzo on kg@ipc.qld.edu.au

Sporting News

IPC Open Basketball  - CBSQ Regionals 2025

Tuesday and Wednesday this week saw 12 IPC boys attend the CBSQ Townsville Regional Basketball tournament. Our first time as a team saw some mixed results and identified some quality basketball talent among the Ignatius Park cohort. Training time was minimal, but the boys played some great basketball and learned a lot about playing with each other. It was good to see the development and growth of both the team and individuals.

Day 1
Game 1 vs Mackay Northern Beaches SHS.

IPC 44 - 25 MNBSHS

Solid win to start the day. After a low scoring first quarter for both teams, the boys clicked and were able to push the tempo offensively and gain control of the game in the second quarter and maintain a double-digit lead for the rest of the game. Solid team effort defensively.

Jobi Jackson led the team in scoring with 14 points, other contributions: Jake Harrington (10 points), Kaden Robertson (9 points)

Game 2 vs Townsville SHS

IPC 45 - 53 Town High

Back-and-forth game with multiple lead changes.

After trailing by 1 at the half, IPC put together a great 3rd quarter to head in the final quarter up by 2. Seb Wyke’s physical defence being key to the run.

Unfortunately, Town High were able to hit on a couple of late threes, which we were unable to match.
Great contributions from Lachlan George-Shaw (12 points), Jake Harrington (11 points) and Trey Paul (10 points).

Game 3 vs Proserpine SHS

IPC 56 - 40 PSHS

Comfortably our best game of day 1.

Proserpine had an elite scorer who had dropped 30 and 37 in their two games earlier in the day.

Defensive team effort lead by Trey Paul, essential in restricting him to only 20 points, allowed us to control the tempo and put their defensive big man under foul pressure with drives from Trey Paul (12 points), Jake Harrington (10 points), Lachlan George-Shaw (10 points) and Kaden Robertson (9 points).

IPC won every single quarter allowing us to stretch the lead throughout the game. Our shooters started to come online and it was good to see the boys enjoy it and support each other.

Day 2

Game 4 vs Kirwan SHS

IPC 75 - 51 Kirwan.

We picked up where they left off from yesterday with some excellent defense which allowed us to transition to quick offense. Trey Paul started the game strong, setting the tone on both ends of the floor, with balanced scoring, tough rebounds and blocks at the rim, Trey finished with 16 points and was instrumental in the defensive energy, along with great defensive presence from big men, Ethan Weil, Gordon Keith and Sebastian Wyke, making it tough for Kirwan to score.
Our youngest player, Year 9 student, Kaden Robertson, had his breakout game, connecting on 3 threes and drawing multiple and-one opportunities. Kaden finished with 25 points to go along with multiple steals and some big rebounds.

Almost all the boys getting on the score sheet, IPC winning by 24 points.

Game 5 vs Ryan CC

IPC 49 - 61 Ryan

Ryan have been the form team of the competition. Leading into the game, they were averaging 81 points per game and winning every game by an average of 35 points.

We had our work cut out for us, and found ourselves down 21-8 at the end of the first quarter. Their lead stayed above 10 points throughout the game. Going into the final quarter down by 12.

An excellent run to start the 4th quarter, led by Lachlan George-Shaw, who hit 3 of his 4 three-pointers in the final term, allowed IPC to make the game a contest, down only 5 with 5 mins to go.. Both teams traded blows until the final 40 seconds, when Ryan were happy to dribble out the clock, forcing us to foul intentionally. Their talented scorers hit their free throws, not allowing us back in. A disappointing late 3 with 3 seconds to go, after the result was decided, the only reason the scoreline is unkind. Regardless, giving Ryan their only competitive game of the weekend, and their lowest points total and margin of victory, makes this a positive result. LGS finishing with an impressive 23-point contribution. Ethan Weil and Trey Paul with excellent games defensively.

That’s 3 solid wins and 2 competitive losses for the tournament.

The boys finished with the best defence allowing an average of 46.0 points per game.

Combined with the third best offense at 53.8 for a points differential of +7.8 points per game. Good for second place.

Leading Scorers

Lachlan George-Shaw – 11.6ppg
Trey Paul – 10. 4ppg
Kaden Robertson – 10.4ppg

Impressive first showing for the boys, with a lot to be positive about. We go to work, to get ourselves ready for CBSQ State Championships, later in the year.

TSSS Selection Success

Congratulations to Keegan Van Aswegan who has been selected into the Townsville School Sport Open Volleyball team to compete at the North Queensland Trials on Tuesday 25^th of February.

Interschool Chess Tournament

Our first Interschool Chess Tournament for the year will be held at IPC on 04 March. Students are invited to register their interest at the LRC. 

International Women's Day Breakfast

We are excited to team up with the ladies from Soroptimist International Townsville Breakwater for their annual International Women's Day Breakfast, which will be held at our Edmund Rice Hall on Friday 14 March.  

Tickets are on sale now - please see more information and QR Code below. 

As part of the fundraising for the Townsville Womens' Centre, raffles are run at the breakfast. If you are able to donate a raffle prize, we'd love to hear from you! Please contact events@ipc.qld.edu.au 

Dancespace | Free dance classes

Students on School Grounds Outside School Hours

Ignatius Park College has an enviable co-curricular program that operates outside school hours for a number of activities. All these activities are supervised by College staff and operate with parent and/or College permission.

For students arriving at school before the school day begins and remaining behind after the school day concludes, supervision is provided by school staff from 8.10am until the start of homeroom at 8.30am and after the school day concludes at 3.00pm until 3.20pm. School bells ring at 8.10am and 3.20pm to indicate the beginning and end of this supervision.

Parents are reminded that unless students are taking part in supervised outside school activities, they will not be supervised by school staff except during the period from 8.10 am and until 3.20pm. Parents should ensure that suitable arrangements are in place to ensure the supervision of their students outside these times. While school gates will be open before and after these times, this is to provide access to staff and for students attending these supervised activities.

School Fees

The College Fee Schedule for 2025 can be viewed at https://www.ipc.qld.edu.au/enrol/fees/

Please be informed that timely payment of the school fees is mandatory. If you have defaulted a timely payment or have outstanding fees, please pay in full as soon as possible. Please contact the College Finance Team at finance@ipc.qld.edu.au or call 4796 0222 if you need further information.  

School Fee Platform - Edstart

From Term 1 2025, all school fees including annual and periodic payments will be managed by Edstart. You can set up your Edstart account at  edstart.com.au/ipc

Vilton Crasto | Director of Business Operations